


Her Name

by scarcelyMischievous



Series: Troubled Sunshine [3]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Doubles, Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Redeemed Kevin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 07:27:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21157862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarcelyMischievous/pseuds/scarcelyMischievous
Summary: [An alternate twist of the "A Matter of Blood" arc (episodes 127-129).]Dana knows what she has to do to rid herself of this guilt she's been feeling for years on end. What she didn't know was that she had the support of the last person she'd expect to give it.





	Her Name

**Author's Note:**

> For context as to why Kevin's here, read 'The Hopeless Case Known as "Kevin"'

Dana Cardinal was used to a lot of strange things happening. Strange wasn’t even strange anymore, seeing as it was just the norm. It completely contradicted itself by doubling like that. 

Ah, but doubles were exactly what had gotten Dana into this mess in the first place.

Not that she thought of her double with spite. Both of their flight or fight reflexes kicked in, so it was only natural that only one of them would get out of the situation. But that didn’t mean that she didn’t live with the guilt of killing her every day. In fact, the guilt was incredibly prominent. Everything she did as a mayor, and even more so as a person, was try to better herself, try to do good for others, as if that could make up for the life she had brutally stolen.

The worst thing was, she wasn’t even sure who she killed. It was strange, but the event had been a blur with how fast it went, and in turn so were her memories. She wasn’t sure if she killed her double, or if she  _ was  _ the double. It was dumb, yeah, like how could you even begin to confuse that? Didn’t she know herself?

She thought she did. But ever since that day, and even more so once she was elected as mayor, she hadn’t had the chance to really focus on who  _ she  _ was. Maybe she never would, after she would meet up with this new Dana. This Dana that craved vengeance. 

Right now she stayed in a spare room at her former boss’s house. She always knew that Cecil was kind, but to imagine that it would extend this far, when she was wanted for yet another murder (one that would actually get her in trouble her in town). She would be forever grateful. But she also knew that she couldn’t stay there forever. She fully planned to confront the new Dana and take whatever judgement she wished to place on her.

Currently the house was empty. Cecil and Carlos were at the viewing party for the blood matter from space, so it was just her. On one hand, it was nice to have the place to herself, it gave her time to think. On the other, she was scared to be alone right now. So much was happening, and even though she figured that something like this was inevitable, it didn’t make her feel any less prepared.  _ Especially  _ for the fact that her own family (or her double’s family?) were getting hurt on her behalf.

There was a sudden knock on the door, and Dana jumped a little. Who could that possibly be? As far as she knew, everybody should be making some sort of preparations in order for tonight’s phenomenon, and Cecil had made it clear that he wasn’t going to be home on the radio. Did somebody know that she was here? 

There wasn’t another knock. Rather, the doorknob started turning. Panicked, she immediately closed the door to her room and locked it, turning off the lights as well. There, she sat in darkness, right next to the door so she could try her best to hear what was going on inside. 

Her breath hitched when she heard the front door finally open. Gentle footsteps followed, and by the way they moved, with such purpose, Dana guessed they were familiar with the layout of the home. Who the hell were they, and what could they possibly want? This was the absolute last thing she needed right now. 

It didn’t take long for the footsteps to draw closer, and through the light she could see underneath the door, she could see the shadow of those shoes blocking some of its way. The intruder had stopped. It was agonizingly quiet for what seemed like ages, before the person on the other end identified themselves with their voice.

“Mayor? Are you there?”

It was almost impossible to hold back the sigh of relief she felt. That voice, so soft and full of concern, she knew it didn’t mean anything menacing toward her. She got up and unlocked the door, finally opening it. “Kevin, I didn’t expect to see you. What are you doing here?”

Kevin gave a weak smile. He had been living here in Night Vale for a few years now, and while he’s since found a place for himself, Dana figured it shouldn’t be surprising that he still had his own key to this house. No wonder he got in so easily. “I was looking for you, actually,” he said.

Dana’s relief only decreased slightly. “Me specifically? Why?” The two weren’t exactly close. And there weren’t a lot of people who would seek her out for casual conversation nowadays.  _ Especially  _ in this situation. So why?

Kevin nodded toward the living room, where he then proceeded to walk over to and took a seat on the sofa. Dana, though skeptical, followed and did the same.

The two were quiet for a few moments. Kevin was looking towards the window next to him. Both the curtains were drawn, but he stared as if something had caught his eye, and he was trying to figure it out. Dana was about to break the silence, but Kevin cut in as soon as she opened her mouth to speak. “So you’re receiving punishment for her?”

Dana’s heart dropped, and she immediately felt stupid for not realizing why Kevin probably wanted to talk to her. He was the only live witness to where this all began. She nervously gripped the edge of her seat. “That’s what this new one has declared,” she said, trying to steady her voice.

Kevin shifted his attention away from the window and directly at Dana. While they weren’t the empty black orbs she remembered, they still seemed to bore into her very being, almost inhumanly. It made her want to shrink in a little. “I still remember it well,” he said, voice calm. “I believe I covered it by saying the two of you were building some sort of bookshelf? I’ve hidden so many things, it’s hard to say what the excuse was that time…”

He almost sounded sickly nostalgic. Dana knew there was probably nothing to worry about regarding the level of safety she should be able to feel in a room alone with Kevin. Carlos had done a wonderful job curing him of Strex’s reconditioning. Yet there was still an edge to his voice, despite how light it was. It almost reminded her of how he used to sound, when he wasn’t so trustworthy. 

She looked down at her hands, now balled up into fists on her lap. “Your memory seems to be better than mine, at the very least,” she murmured. He raised an eyebrow, curious. After a moment’s hesitation, she closed her eyes, trying to relive the moment as she had countless of times before. “It was so fast, and it left me so confused. I still don’t know who I am because of it. I try to do everything I can to improve life in Night Vale as if that can help me atone for everything, but how can I do that when I don’t know who was even murdered? I’m the survivor and I don’t even know  _ which one.”  _

“You’re Dana.”

His simple response caught her off guard. It left her even more confused. Of course she’s Dana, she just didn’t know  _ which  _ Dana she was. Definitely not Vengeful-Presumably-Post-Apocalyptic-Dana, since that one was currently out for her head. But which Dana from the Desert Bluffs radio station that fateful day?

Kevin seemed to sense her confusion. And then, oddly enough, he smiled. It wasn’t a malicious smile, not even as wide as they used to be. It was a small thing, wistful yet somber. “You know my name, don’t you?”

Again, something else to confuse her. He seemed to have a knack at doing that. “It’s Kevin,” she said, cautious as though it might be a trick question.

There was no trick to it, it seemed. He nodded. “Correct,” he said. “And you know what my name isn’t? Cecil.”

“What…” 

“Her name was Vanessa.”

_ Oh.  _ That did make some more sense, now that Dana thought about it. Kevin let out a chuckle and continued. “I suppose Desert Bluffs is unique when it comes to names,” he commented. The sadness didn’t go away from either his voice or his face. “Really, Mayor, if you were having such confliction you should have come to me sooner about it. I’m sure I would have been able to take at least some things off your shoulders.” 

He had a point, and yet part of Dana felt even worse. She murdered this woman and didn’t even know her name. Despite looking exactly like her, she almost felt narcissistic to assume they shared a name. And Kevin knew all of this now. “Why don’t you hate me?” she asked, feeling tears threaten to spill. “I’m sure this is something you’ve had anguish over as well. How could you casually pass by me for all these years and not try to take out any kind of revenge? I certainly wouldn’t have blamed you.”

“And that’s part of the reason,” Kevin replied swiftly. It was almost like he’d practiced this conversation before. Not to be fake, but to remember to get the words just right. Despite that, there was plenty of genuine emotions to be heard. “I can tell that you’re always suffering over this. You never forgot what happened. Instead, you tried to redeem yourself. That’s more effort than a lot of others would have put in, including myself for a good while. And in the end, could you really be blamed? Survival instincts make us do crazy things.”

Now there was no use holding back her tears. Admittedly, there was no one she was really able to talk to this about before. And yet here Kevin was, a man who should be the last to forgive her, telling her everything she wanted and needed to hear. She brought her arm up to hastily wipe away her tears, but she felt a gentle nudge and saw Kevin offering a handkerchief. With a mix of a laugh and a sob, she graciously accepted. 

He waited patiently for her to regain herself before moving on to his next question. “So what will you do now?”

She sniffled, brought back to the current situation. Her new double was waiting for her. “I have to go,” she said as if it were obvious. And maybe it was.

Kevin seemed to expect this, but he didn’t look any less worried. “I’ve heard what she’s been broadcasting. She’s not going to go easy on you. I’d offer my help, but… This seems like something you want to do on your own. Am I correct?”

Dana nodded. “I’m the only one she wants. This is a personal punishment, and I want to face it head on.”

Kevin sighed but accepted the statement. Suddenly, he got up and extended his arms out. “Come here.”

Still feeling completely emotionally vulnerable, Dana didn’t miss the que and quickly fell into his embrace. It was comforting, protective, the moral support she’s been waiting for so long. Her hands dug into the back of his shirt in sudden fear that she wouldn’t be able to talk to him - or anyone else for that matter - ever again. “I’m scared.”

“I know,” he whispered, rubbing her back. “But I know you’re a good person. I think she’ll see that. You did for me, after all. Maybe it’s a shared trait.”

She remembered what he was referring to; the trial, where he was nearly sentenced guilty had she not intervened and pitched in her two cents. “Thank you, Kevin.”

“No need to thank me, but you’re very welcome,” he said with a smile. He then looked over at the clock. “I guess you’d better get going if you want to meet with her on time.”

“Guess so.” Dana reluctantly let go, but gave Kevin’s hands a tight squeeze. “If I don’t come back, tell the others ‘bye’ for me?”

“If that’s the case, sure. But I’m positive you’ll come back to us,” Kevin said. Dana was about to hand the handkerchief back, but he stopped her hand, tightening her fingers around it. “Keep it. As a part of me that’ll support you there.”

Dana couldn’t believe the overwhelming amount of gratitude she was feeling. She gave him one more hug. “I’m going to make things right. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't listened to WTNV in a long while (thanks school), but this arc was one of the last episodes I left on and I've had this idea in my head for like a year now but have just been able to write it out now (thanks school, again).
> 
> Also thanks school AGAIN again because it's been a little over a year since I last wrote anything on here! auGH-
> 
> On a brighter note at least y'all know for sure now that Kevin's been living his best life since A Hopeless Case!


End file.
